


Staying In

by SorakuFett



Series: A Normal Life [6]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Domestic Fluff, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Married Life, Older Woman/Younger Man, One Shot, Persona 5 Spoilers, Post-Canon, Reminiscing, Slice of Life, mentions of scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 12:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15413352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SorakuFett/pseuds/SorakuFett
Summary: Years after he saved the world from a mad god, Akira Kurusu and his wife, Sadayo, are happily married, living a quiet life in a new house in Tokyo. They wake up on a beautiful morning as Sadayo reminisces about her life with her true love and the two decide to indulge in a small rebellion.





	Staying In

**Author's Note:**

> My very first story on AO3 and I haven't written anything since high school, so please be gentle yet firm with criticisms. I just love this ship so much, I figured I'd give a hand at writing one of the little fluffy moments I came up with in my head. Please enjoy!

**Beep. Beep. Beep.**

 

_That damnable alarm._

Sadayo clearly remembered the box saying having 4 different programmable alarm tones. Of course, the second they opened the box, she gestured to him without looking and knocked the coffee out of his hand, narrowly missing the machine itself, but drenching the instructions. Not that it mattered now, that was 4 months ago. 

_God, has it been that long?_ she thought, almost whispering in her own mind, afraid the slightest noise would disturb her sleeping husband. She slowly reached behind her to depress the button on the alarm, reading the display as well. 5:00 AM. Unreasonable for anyone except teachers and cafe owners, which unfortunately included the two lovers present.

They got the alarm as a sort of funny way to christen their new house, with its new bedroom and bathroom. Many fun times have already been had at this house, and Halloween was slowly approaching, sure to be another blast.

She looked over to her husband, Akira. Staring at his frizzy black hair, made even more messy by sleep, shining in the morning sun. Looking out the window, it was looking to be a beautiful day. She turned back to him, fixating on a small, nearly faded scar on his back. She found herself falling back in time as she stared at him.

 

When they first met, she was an overworked mess, regarding him as nothing more than a problem child, a test thrust upon her by her colleagues and superiors. Akira would later tell her, with a certain amount of shame, that he thought little better of her, initially writing her off as just another uncaring adult, only looking out for her own interests. That fateful June day, when she met him again during her  **other** job, was the catalyst that would begin their relationship. A deal was made. She would cut him some slack in class, as well as let him request her for services like laundry and housekeeping, and he wouldn't breathe a word about her  **extracurricular activities** to anyone. An amicable, if not exactly friendly arrangement. 

But as they spent time together, they learned more about each other. Akira's fascination with basketball, Sadayo's love of music. They surprised each other with how, well, human they were. Their relationship grew, faster than either had expected. 

She still remembers the night she dropped the flimsy lie about her "sick sister" and confessed to him her sad story. Her desire to help Taiki Takase, her failure to do so, and her debt to his guardians. Rather than being pushed away, Akira saw Sadayo in a new light. This was a woman who cared for her students, at least once, and has been punished for her good deed. An awfully familiar tale to his ears, and one he was getting tired of hearing. She came to see him in a new light as well. He wasn't some trouble-making delinquent. He was a boy from Okinawa who loved basketball, idol singers, constellations and chocolate. He was a just young man, who couldn't turn a blind eye to wrongdoings.

Eventually, he convinced her that the only way to truly honor Taiki's memory was to not give up on her students. On her dream as a teacher. He gave her back a resolve she had long forgotten, and she would thank him eternally for it. But it almost wasn't enough, when the damnable Takases reared their head for one final blow, trying to ensure their own selfish lifestyles. But Akira wouldn't let them... Or rather...  **Phantom Thief Joker** wouldn't let them. With a swiftness to rival the gods, he dispatched the Takases' Shadows, stealing their hearts and forcing them to face their crimes. They apologized to Sadayo, returning all the money she had paid them over the years. Sadayo couldn't believe her luck. So much so, in fact, that she knew it wasn't luck. Unless luck's name was Akira Kurusu, Leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. She thanked him profusely for the gift of life an normalcy he had given her. But his lesson was not done. He aimed to teach her that she was worth being loved. And that he was more than willing to do it.

"I mean what I say." The conviction with which he spoke was striking. And in that instant, every feeling she had for him coalesced, and she knew she felt the same. But they couldn't. He was 16, a minor, and her student. She rejected his confession, tactfully as she could. That week was one of the longest in both their lives. She remembers seeing him at school, heartbroken and dejected. This was no simply confession blues. The boy- no. The  _man_ she knew would not succumb to that. They met again on Wednesday, Sadayo unsure of what she inteded to do or say. Instead, that day would forever be etched into her memory. She remembered their exchange.

"... I was so happy. When you shared your feelings the other day, I finally realized how I felt. But..."

She turned to face him before continuing. "I'm a teacher... and you're my student."

He looked up at her. "That doesn't matter." He spoke with confidence, the same unwavering confidence with which he spoke about his situation, about how he was arrested for helping that woman. That confidence made her feel safe. So she relented. She gave in to the love in her heart. That love that only he could coax out, with his boyish charm, striking steel eyes and wicked smile.

 

The year was a roller coaster after that. She remembers their first date, at the museum. She remembers the first time they spoke the three magic words, and kissed for the first time on the Ferris Wheel. She _especially_ remembers Hawaii, and their brief but perfect time alone on the beach, eating Garlic Shrimp, watching the sunset, and giving him the engraved ring that he still wore now, bearing their initials (which, amusingly, had not changed with their marriage).

She also remembers the bad times. All the things he only spoke of to her during their near-daily massages. His frustrations with society's dependence on the Phantom Thieves. His heartache at Kunikazu Okumura's death. His concerns with Sae Nijima and his worries about Haru and Makoto. He was such a kind, caring young man, willing to make sure his friends never felt alone. Which made his capture and faked death all the more shocking. Over the years, she had grown to forgive him for that, but not without difficulty. He had resolved to not hurt her like that again, a promise he would later be forced to break. She remembered his worries about confronting the man who condemned him to this fate, Masayoshi Shido. And she remembered his short-lived feelings of triumph when they managed to change his heart.

Then...  _it_ happened. No one except the eight Thieves remembers it fully. Everyone else in the world only has occasional, half-forgotten nightmares about it. He had tried to explain it multiple times, but he claimed that "it never sounded real enough." All she could gather was that seven teenagers and a cat were nearly wiped from existence by a tyrannical god born from society's collective warped desire for stagnation. But with the bonds they forged, they prevailed, and "ended the so-called Holy Grail's threat to humanity," or however he told it. It was hard to believe, but the trauma she would rarely see from them was undeniable. They went through something no one should ever have to face, but weathered the storm, alive, if not unscathed. She didn't have to understand it all to be proud of him. Or to be angry with him at breaking his promise by neglecting to mention his need to turn himself in to complete the case against Shido. But for two months, she and everyone who cared for him fought tooth and nail to get him back. To absolve him of the falsified crime that started all of this in the first place. And they succeeded.

 

She remembers Valentine's Day. He had his birthday while incarcerated. They didn't have to tiptoe around society's rules anymore. They could fully love each other. And that night, they did. She remembers seeing his scars, the price of his justice. Over time, he would tell her about each and every one, but those stories would wait as they took their fill of love. The next month was bittersweet, watching the days go by until he left back for home for Okinawa, but not worrying about the road that lay ahead. She remembers March 19th. She gave him a silly gift, a free pass for the job she no longer had. She remembers the kiss he gave her, right in front of the school, not caring about who saw them or what they'd say. Their love was sealed. They needed no one but each other.

"I love you, Sadayo Kawakami!" he yelled to her as he ran for the train station. Such a brave man. 

"I love you, Akira Kurusu!" she yelled back, his bravery having rubbed off on her.

The next few months were long, but she remembers how they ended. They had kept in contact, keeping up video and phone calls every so often. Then that summer, he came back. "For good," he said. He had discussed it with his parents and sister, how he knew he no longer felt at home. They made sure he knew what he was asking, and he told them that he was never more sure of anything. And there he was, in the big city, with his girl in his arms, ready for whatever lay ahead.

College was a breeze for him. He was always smart, even if he didn't always pay attention in class. She continued teaching at Shujin, as was her passion. After college, Akira helped Haru fulfill her dream, and they opened  _Le Café Noir_ in downtown Shibuya, and Sadayo couldn't be more proud. Then, the bigger news came in. Futaba Sakura and Yusuke Kitagawa were getting married.

 

They remember the wedding. It'd be harder to forget, considering the circumstances. No one expected that world-class ex-hacker and programmer Futaba Sakura was the kind of girl who dreamed of a traditional Shinto wedding. No one attending would ever forget the never-before-seen sight of her natural, raven hair, showing she is indeed her mother's daughter. And they would never forget the tears of joy on Futaba and Yusuke's faces. But the wedding and ceremony really made Akira and Sadayo think. It wasn't since a few months after Akira moved in with Sadayo to prepare for college that the two had even discussed marriage. Of course, they had planned to marry, but they figured they were in no rush, with their whole lives ahead of them. But seeing the newlyweds sparked something within them, made them... well... envious wouldn't be the right word. But they suddenly felt like something was missing. Akira said he would need some time to think it over, which turned out to be a white lie to hide the fact that he had been planning to propose to Sadayo since they received the news of Futaba and Yusuke's wedding.

She remembers him asking her to go to back to the Ferris Wheel with him, not anticipating the line to be so long. But the length worked in his favor, giving him time to reevaluate his plan and make some last minute adjustments. He asked her what she remembered about their second date, when they came to the Ferris Wheel. She told him that she remembered it was where they first kissed, and that it was where they first said "I love you" to each other. They had said it so many times since, it'd be impossible to count. That's when he reached in his jacket pocket, pulling out something he kept hidden with slight of hand, saying that "it was time to upgrade the meaning behind those words." With that, he got down on one knee, in front of the whole line, and asked the most important question of his life;

 

"Sadayo Kawakami, will you marry me?"

 

She couldn't contain herself. The tears came forth, staring down at the beautiful gold band with a ruby (of course) gleaming in the center. Akira looked ready for anything and everything. She said yes, and he placed the ring on her finger. The people around them cheered and applauded. When the two reached the end of the line and rode the wheel, they kissed passionately. 

Their own wedding was far different. A simple Christian wedding, in the same church in Kanda where Akira would frequently spend time during his tenure as Joker, and again after coming back later. She remembers walking down the aisle, seeing Akira standing there, black tuxedo, with a red bow tie (again, of course) and giggling at the sight of her groom's constant breaks from norm. She remembers their vows. How he vowed to never again let her fear for her future or his own and that he would never abandon her. How she vowed to be his eternal companion, never allowing him to fall to darkness and always being therefor him to rely on, when he needs a shoulder to cry on or an ear to vent to. She remembers that magical kiss that sealed their fates together.

And she  _especially_ remembers how the poor fool _just h_ _ad_ to book their honeymoon flight to Hawaii on the _same damn day_ as their wedding, forcing the two newlyweds to chuck the flowers and skedaddle. She doesn't quite remember who caught it. Could have been Shiho or Ann, but they weren't sure. Once they were in the car, they were headed immediately to the airport. Akira drove as Sadayo fumbled about in the backseat to change out of her wedding dress into some more appropriate warm-weather clothes, followed by them pulling over to switch as Akira, pressed for time, just took off his jacket and pants to put on some jeans and roll up his sleeves. The two arrived at the airport,  _almost_ looking like they didn't have to change in the car. But soon, these worries would be behind them, with the two making good on their years-old promise to return to sunny Waikiki, Hawaii. The honeymoon was magical, the two taking far more time to enjoy the atmosphere than the long-ago school trip had afforded them. They had at least a half of a hard drive full of photos and videos of their honeymoon. It was a time they would never forget.

 

Coming back to the present, with the honeymoon half a year behind them, having moved into their new house four months back, Sadayo continued to stare at her husband. He really was handsome, and it was certainly a treat for her that he preferred to sleep shirtless. Most of his scars had faded, though a few would stay. Enough to warrant double takes, but no questions. She decided to tempt fate and move closer to him, about a half-second into wrapping her arm gently around him before...

"You know, babe, if you wanted to cuddle, you could have just done it instead of staring at my back for an hour..."

_Oh God, how did he know? Was he awake the whole time? And did he say **an hour?!**_  

"Um... hehe. Sorry." she meekly said as she blushed, grabbing him from behind and holding him tight. She brought her face to his shoulder, planting a chaste kiss on it. "I didn't want to disturb you. You just looked so peaceful. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," he said, turning his head back slightly to be heard. "I had the most wonderful dream. Mind pinching me to see if I'm still in it?" The charmer. Only he could say such things and mean it. So, of course, she DID pinch him, much to his surprise.

**"OW!"** he yelped. She loved to toy with his expectations. He always had things planned out two steps ahead, but she felt like it was her duty to keep him on his toes. Keep his senses sharp. That, and it was fun hearing him yelp like that.

"That's what you get for making me think you were asleep! Seriously, how did you get so good at faking that?" she pouted, but without much real meaning behind it.

Then he turned around to face her directly. "Believe me, my love, that's the  _only_ thing fake about any of this right now." He pulled her into his arms, and she felt herself let go and melt into him.

"You know, the alarm went off an hour ago. I think I need to be heading out for work." She said, but didn't actually move. She simply awaited his response, secretly hoping he'd ask her not to go.

And her hopes came true. "You know, I think after all the work settling into the new house, we could use a day in." He said with that charming voice. The voice that led the Phantom Thieves to their victory. The voice that declared his love for her. The voice that asked her to marry him and said "I do" at the altar. The voice of the man she fell in love with all those years ago.

"Okay then," she said with a giggle. "I guess we're staying in." 

The two giggled, cuddling each other, content with their lives and their small rebellion. Haru and the principal could chew them out tomorrow. Today was theirs.

And they weren't going to share it with anyone but each other.


End file.
